Georgia College Holds Annual Athletic Awards Banquet

Apr 27, 2009

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. - The Georgia College &
State University department of athletics held its Annual Athletic
Awards Banquet tonight (April 27) recognizing the efforts of over
200 student-athletes this school year.

The banquet was also highlighted with the announcement of the
year-end awards, including Senior Male and Female Athlete of the
Year, among others. Tennis' Erick Siqueira (Sao
Paulo, Brazil) and softball's Mandy Chandler
(Covington, Ga.) took in the year's top awards.

Chandler has been nothing short of dominant in the circle for
four seasons. A Daktronics Second Team All-American in 2008,
Chandler has earned all-region and all-conference honors in three
seasons, adding all-conference again this year. She owns the Peach
Belt Conference's (PBC) career records in strikeouts with 1,191,
and in victories with 96, as well as every favorable pitching
category in Georgia College history.

She also added the single-season PBC strikeout record this year
with 401, good for 11th in NCAA history. Chandler has been steadily
climbing the NCAA Career Strikeout list, and stands at eighth. The
righty owns the single-game strikeout record in Division II history
with 23, coming in the NCAA Regional Championship against Lenoir
Rhyne as a freshman. Chandler was an ESPN The Magazine Academic
All-American as well in 2008.

Siqueira has been arguably the best men's tennis player in
Georgia College history. A two-time All-American hoping to add his
third this season, he was the PBC Player of the Year in 2008. An
All-Peach Belt selection six times over in his four-year career,

Siqueira has twice been named the ITA's Player to Watch for the
Southeast Region. His career record in spring competition is 66-16
in singles and 67-23 in doubles action. Siqueira and Justin Pickham
(Armidale, Australia) were one win shy of an ITA Division
II title in doubles this Fall, their first semester as a team.
Maybe the truest test of Siqueira's skill, he has earned three
All-PBC doubles honors in his career, each with a different
partner.

The recipient of the Bill Childers Award was GCSU professor
Dr. Ginger Carter Miller. A long-time fan of
Bobcat athletics, Dr. Carter Miller works with the public relations
classes at Georgia College as part of the school of mass
communication. Her classes have helped promote the Annual Athletic
Auction as well as the basketball slate this season and have been
an integral part of the public relations success for Bobcat
athletics. The Childers Award honors those outside the athletic
department that contribute the most to the success of its programs.

Baseball's Ryan Tabor
(Lawrenceville, Ga.) picked up the Comeback Player Award,
given by Paul
Higgs, GCSU's head athletic trainer. Tabor rehabbed
his Tommy John surgery, and has worked hard after missing the 2008
year to become one of the Bobcats' more valuable relievers.

Derek
Johns (Waynesville, Ga.) and Niclas Johansson
(Skanor, Sweden) were chosen for the John Kurtz and Dr. J.
Michael Peeler Awards, respectively. Given to the "Most Valuable
Person" on the baseball team, the John Kurtz Award has been handed
out since 1994.

Again given to the Most Valuable Person on the golf squad, the
Dr. J. Michael Peeler Award goes to Johansson. The two-time
All-American features a sub-71 stroke average and a 3.35 GPA in
management.

Visit www.GCSUBobcats.com to nominate your favorite former
Bobcats and Colonials to the GCSU Athletics Hall of Fame. The GCSU
Department of Athletics sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at
the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, GCSU prides
itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by
the Bobcats' multiple appearances in post-season competition as
well as documented academic success and community-service
involvement. Sign up at Twitter.com username GCSUSID for
up-to-the-minute reports.